American Sign Language

Table of Contents Introduction Description Conclusion Works Cited Introduction The American Sign Language has existed and has been used for quite some time now. It is said to have originated from Europe. One of its historical accounts states that it started in Italy. Literature also shows that a French man by the name Abbe De L’Epee constructed the earliest structure of sign language that was later on adopted and used by Americans (Lane 5).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Sign Language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Like in many areas of the globe, families with deaf and dumb children have always used sign language to speak to their children. The sign language is also taught in schools for the deaf all the way from early grade schools to secondary schools and in institutions of higher learning. Description In the olden days it is believed that the sign language originated from families that were deaf and also had deaf children so their finger spellings were special signs of motion that indicated normal actions. The finger spelling was not well structured like the modern day one. In the old days the deaf moved their fingers to show an intended action. They did this so that they could understand each other well. Linguistics also shows that the language was more of mimicry of actions. They showed crude actions that had no order and orientation. They were also symbolized activities that were going on in the physical world. The signs had no clarity to inexperienced observers (Padden and Humphries 13). On the contrary modern sign language is said to be more organized, more regular and well balanced. It can at least be understood on small scale by people who have not taken sign language courses. In addition, it can easily be comprehended. The current sign language finger spelling uses hand shapes to represent letters that stand for different meanings. The deaf and dumb also m ove their hands and fingers in a way that not only denotes actions but also names of things, directions, height, confirmation or approval and gender among other things through motioning their hands and fingers. It is noted that current sign language also includes symbols taken from the conversion of English words that have been finger spelled. The ancient and modern way of finger spelling are similar since both of them involve movements of hands, communicate intended actions and both use gestures. The old one-handed alphabet as has been said was not well organized while the modern day one-handed alphabet shows shapes that stand for different letters that mean different things.Advertising Looking for essay on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Currently, different numbers of fingers placed in a particular way are used to spell different words. For example, in spelling yes, three fingers are motioned from the hand shape of Y to E then finally to the hand shape of S (Mortensen 25). Numbers also have unique ways of finger spelling. For example, two closed fists together symbolize the number ten while two fingers denote the number two and so forth. Apparently the finger spelling for numbers between one and ten is usually not hard to understand and can be comprehended by anybody. It gets tough as the numbers increase. The other numbers follow the same way each number with its unique finger or hand motion. The hands are usually placed on the chest and touching the body for easy and proper visualization and communication. At times the person might need to stand up to be able to communicate well. The body posture is usually upright with different body movements that indicate various meanings. The articulating or communicative positions also differ and are always in agreement with finger spelling. For example, if the translator or the communicator wants to show something done with the mouth, he or she will always move the fingers towards the mouth. If it is to show someone was or is eating, the person will always point inside the mouth. To indicate someone who is running, the person will bend forward and move his or her hands in a running motion and at the same time use his fingers to show digits just in case a number is meant to accompany whatever the information he is communicating. In cases like poetry and drama, the deaf and dumb or interpreters of the sign language normally motion their hands and fingers in the air to form various pictures that communicate different information. For instance, they move both the hands in a semicircular way to denote the heart. This can also be an expression of love. They can also put the hands on the face and make a face that shows crying (Stewart, Stewart and Little 32). Conclusion It is always important to understand the different movements of fingers so that no one uses any offensive sign to the deaf people. This is because different signs hav e different meanings and sign language just like any other normally spoken language has offensive signs too.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Sign Language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is especially the case for translators who can communicate and at the same time use sign language, or people who are learning the sign language from others who are not experienced in teaching the language. Research has shown that sign language, just as spoken language, is also going through a drastic revolution thanks to the rapid modernization that is taking place. Works Cited Lane, Harlan. When the mind hears: a history of the deaf. New York: Random house 1984. Mortensen, Viggo. Sign language. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press, 2002. Padden, Carol, and Tom Humphries. Deaf in America: voices from a culture. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1988. Stewart, David, Elizabeth Stewart, and Jessalyn Little. A merican Sing Language the Easy Way. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, 2006. This essay on American Sign Language was written and submitted by user Danielle Young to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440 Gilles de Rais was a French noblemen and noted soldier of the fourteenth century who was tried and executed for the murder and torture of numerous children. He is now remembered chiefly as a historical serial killer, but may have been innocent. Gilles de Rais as Noble and Commander Gilles de Laval, Lord of Rais (thus known as Gilles de (of) Rais), was born in 1404 at Champtocà © castle, Anjou, France. His parents were heirs to wealthy land holdings: the lordship of Rais and part of the Laval family possessions on his father’s side and lands belonging to a branch of the Craon family through his mother’s side. He also married into a wealthy line in 1420, uniting with Catherine de Thouars. Consequently Gilles was once of the richest men in the whole of Europe by his teens. He has been described as keeping a more lavish court than even the French king, and he was a great patron of the arts. By 1420 Gilles was fighting in the wars over the succession rights to the Duchy of Brittany, before being involved in the Hundred Years War, fighting against the English in 1427. Having proved himself an able, if brutal and low level, commander, Gilles found himself alongside Joan of Arc, taking part in several battles with her, including the famed rescue of Orlà ©ans in 1429. Thanks to his success, and the crucial influence of Gilles’ cousin, Georges de Ka Trà ©moille, Gilles became a favorite of King Charles VII, who appointed Gilles Marshall of France in 1429; Gilles was only 24 years old. He spent more time with Jeanne’s forces until her capture. The scene was set for Gilles to go on and have a major career, after all, the French were beginning their victory in the Hundred Years War. Gilles de Rais as Serial Killer By 1432 Gilles de Rais had largely retreated to his estates, and we dont really know why. At some stage his interests turned to alchemy and the occult, perhaps after an order, sought by his family in 1435, barred him from selling or mortgaging anymore of his lands and he needed money to continue his lifestyle. He also, possibly, began the kidnap, torture, rape and murder of children, with the number of victims ranging from 30 to upwards of 150 given by different commentators. Some accounts claim this ended up costing GIlles more money as he invested in occult practices which didnt work but cost regardless. We have avoided giving too much detail on Gilles crimes here, but if youre interested a search on the web will bring up the accounts. With one eye on these infractions, and possibly another on seizing Gilles’ land and possessions, the Duke of Brittany and the Bishop of Nantes moved to arrest and prosecute him. He was seized in September 1440 and tried by both ecclesiastical and civil courts. At first he claimed to be not guilty, but â€Å"confessed† under threat of torture, which is no confession at all; the ecclesiastical court found him guilty of heresy, the civil court guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death and hanged on October 26th 1440, being held up as a model of penitence for recanting and apparently accepting his fate. There is an alternative school of thought, one which argues that Gilles de Rais was set-up by the authorities, who had an interest in taking what remained of his wealth, and was actually innocent. The fact his confession was extracted through threat of torture is cited as evidence of severe doubt. Gilles wouldnt be the first European who was set up so people could take wealth, and remove power, by jealous rivals, and the Knights Templar are a very famous example, while Countess Bathory is in much the same position as Gilles, only in her case it looks very likely she was set up instead of just possible. Bluebeard The character of Bluebeard, recorded in a seventeenth century collection of fairy tales called Contes de ma mà ¨re l’oye (Tales of Mother Goose), is believed to be partly based on Breton folk tales which are, in turn, partly based on Gilles de Rais, although the murders have become of wives rather than children.